Riding In Cars With Boys Parent Guide

At fifteen, Beverly D’Onofrio (Drew Barrymore) announces her unplanned pregnancy. Full of dreams for his bright young daughter, Bev’s father (James Wood) is both crushed and embarrassed by the news. Pasting on smiles, he and his wife (Lorraine Bracco) endure the social nightmare of their daughter’s marriage to Ray Hasak (Steve Zahn), a local high school drop out. Coming from a fractured home, Ray’s intentions are good, but he lacks the maturity, education, and skills to support a family.

Trading junior proms and high school grad for labor pains and dead end jobs, Bev takes on the adult responsibilities of parenthood and marriage with mixed success—before she can even drive a car. Her hopes for a college degree and a writing career begin to fade like the outdated paint on the walls of their rundown bungalow. Between toddler tantrums, the young mother tries to finish her high school diploma and apply for a college scholarship, but her husband’s alcoholic binges leave her to deal with her problems without much help. It isn’t until Ray’s illegal drug habit infringes on her goals that Bev finally takes control of her own future.

Based on a true story, Director Penny Marshall uses flashbacks to paint the haunting picture of one girl’s unintended detour in life, and the heavy price she pays for her choices. For older teens, this film is a startling bit of reality from an industry that often flaunts teenage sexuality without numerating the consequences—not only for the individual, but also for their families. The movie also tackles the dark, spiraling world of illegal drug use, the horrific pain of coming clean, and the countless victims left in the wake.

Though not always likeable, Bev is a strong-willed character bent on moving out of her hometown and on with her life. Families comfortable with discussing the heavy content of this movie may find her struggle with self-inflicted roadblocks and the blurry lines defining her role as mother or child, to be a ramp for examining choices, even seemingly small ones like riding in cars with boys.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.